Wondering Why Dogs Attack People? Some of the Reasons May Surprise You

The news loves to hype up stories about "horrible, vicious" dogs that have attacked people and left them seriously hurt or even fatally injured. Yes, some breeds are more dangerous than others, but do you actually know why dogs attack people? Many times, it has little to do with the dog's breed and more with how it is raised or how other people interact with it. These are some of the more common reasons why dogs attack humans:

They were taught to fight, to attack, or to be aggressive. Even the kindest dogs become dangerous if their owner purposely trains them to be attack dogs. The animal may be living in a really negative environment, treated cruelly and trying to obey its owner to avoid being hurt.

The victim was not comfortable or familiar with how to act around dogs. Not everyone is a "dog person," and she may not have taught how to interact with dogs. This is also common with children who don't fully understand that they can't treat dogs as a toy or a playmate. There are some very basic triggers than can make an otherwise docile dog quite aggressive, including getting between it and its food, surprising it, running away, staring directly into its eyes, or invading its territory.

The dog was not socialized properly. It's important for dogs to socialize with other dogs, but it’s is equally important that they learn to interact with humans. If an owner rarely takes his dog outside and the animal knows only the family that lives in the house, it may not know how to act around strangers.

Were you bitten or attacked by a dog in California? Contact the Woodland Hills dog attack attorneys at the Law Offices of John P. Rosenberg for a free consultation by calling 818-716-6400, and request a free copy of our book, The 5 Worst Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Injury Claim.